CS4HS @ UML 2013 •
Wed thru Fri, July 24  26, 2013

Wednesday through Friday

July 24, 25 & 26, 2013

A Workshop and Conference on
Computer Science
for Middle and High School Teachers
to be held on the UMass Lowell Campus

What is CS4HS?

Dear teachers,

CS4HS (Computer Science for High School) is an initiative sponsored by
Google to promote computer science and computational thinking in the
high school and middle school curriculum.

This year, our workshop will provide a deep dive
into MIT App
Inventor, the blocks-based programming system for Android devices.

We'll be working directly with App Inventor each of the three
days. We'll also develop approaches for including App Inventor
into your computer science, technology, mathematics, or science
curriculum.

So this year's event is specifically designed for middle and
high school teachers who plan to introduce App Inventor to their
students during the 20132014 school year.

As part of the conference registration, we
will require a letter from your department head or principal,
attesting to your institution's support of your plans to bring App
Inventor to your students.

As in past years, we will also have short, fun faculty research talks,
networking and conversation time, and an evening social
event.

Our event is supported with a grant from Google
Education. We require a registration fee of $100 to help us
cover workshop costs. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be
provided all three days; plus, we will take you out to a
restaurant dinner on Thursday night.

Thanks to the Google grant, we are able to provide lodging for
a small number of non-local participants. If you live more than
90 minutes (one-way) commute to Lowell, follow the instructions on
the registration form for requesting lodging.

Conference Overview

Overview: The conference will consist of a three-day
workshop on computational thinking with App Inventor including a
participatory curriculum design strand, plus research talks,
panels, and discussion sessions.

We'll study three aspects of computational thinking together
with practical coding practices: (1) sequences and
events; (2) representation and modeling; and (3)
persistence and sharing.

We'll also introduce an infusion model where
computational thinking approaches are integrated with other
subjects (math, science, technology, or the liberal
arts). Each participant will create an original lesson design based
on this infusion approach.

Hands-On Sessions

1. Sequences, Events, and the Notional
Machine Most programming languages are based on
the idea that instructions are executed in order (a
sequence). App Inventor works this way, and also highlights
the use of events. Code sequences are triggered when something
happens (e.g., a screen button is clicked, the phone senses a
shake, or a text message is received).

2. Representation and Modeling
One of the central ideas in computer science is that using
data to represent and model the physical world and/or a
computational process. This is analogous to representation and
modeling in mathematics. We'll discuss this conceptually and
concretely with programming assignments.

Learning objective: Be able to use variables and
lists to represent real-world things (e.g., color; geospatial
location).

3. Persistence and Sharing
Once you have data, you want to be able to preserve itto
have it stay around for the next time your program is
run. Also, in the internet age, being able to share your app's
data with other people is essential. We'll learn how to do
these things.

Learning objectives: Be able to use TinyDB to save
values from your app and restore them the next time it starts
up, and be able to use TinyWebDB to share data across apps.

4. Mobile CT Rubric
We have developed a rubric for assessing the computational
thinking embedded in App Inventor projects, including
mobile-specific concepts. In this session, you'll be
introduced to the rubric and use to code example projects.

Learning objectives:
Be able to identify the Mobile CT concepts that are
represented in a completed app using the rubric.

5. Curriculum Module Design
Using an infusion model, you'll develop a curriculum module
that can be integrated into your mathematics, science,
technology, or other subject-area teaching plans. Your module
will include App Inventor starter code that will be given to
your students, and an activity worksheet for them to complete.
Four sample units (two in math and two in science) will be
provided.

Learning objectives: Create an original curriculum
infusion unit that combines computer science content with
another subject.

Talks

Ask The Machine! Automatic Processing of Natural
Language TextAnna Rumshisky (UMass Lowell) In the contemporary
world, unprecedented amounts of electronic text are generated
daily. The information contained in these text streams can
facilitate many everyday and professional tasks. Anna will
describe current challenges and latest advances in natural
language processing technology that underlies the automation
of many such tasks.

SciFi to HRI: Designing the Robots of TomorrowHolly Yanco (UMass Lowell) For 100 years,
imagined robots have appeared in books, plays, and films. How
close are we to achieving these dreams? This talk will
present the capabilities of conceptualized robots, compare
them to today's state of the art, and discuss the future of
robot systems through the lens of human-robot interaction
(HRI).

Introducing MassCAN: Massachusetts Computing
Attainment NetworkJim Stanton
(EDC)MassCAN is a newly-formed partnership with
the goal of inspiring and educating Massachusetts K12
students in the field of computer science. Jim is a founding
member of MassCAN, and will give an overview of its mission
and core values.